Machine



(Nb Model.)

W. WEBBER'.

GOIN CONTROLLED GAS VENDING MACHINE. No 577,216. Patented Feb. 16. 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT iEEicE.

WESLEY l/VEBBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-=CONTROLLED GAS-VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,216, dated February16, 1897. Application filed February 19, 1896. Serial No. 579,836. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WESLEY l/VEBBER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Oontrolled Gas-Vending Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to improvements in the coin-controlledgas-vending machine shown and described in my copending application,filed February 3, 1896, and serially numbered 577,814; and my presentinvention consists of a coin-controlled gas-vending machine wherein anescapement-disk operated in one direction bya spring admits the flow ofgas through the meter, and a wheel operated by the power of the meteracts, through a suitable engaging device and a spring, to return theescapement-disk and cut off the flow of gas, the tentative operation ofthe escapement disk being effected by a double-pawl device or palletarranged to be oscillated by the act of inserting coins in the machineeither by the coin itself directly or indirectly by coin-insertingmechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made, Figure 1 is asectional plan view of my new and improved coin-controlled gas-vendingmachine, taken on line x 00 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe mechanism, sh owing the box and coin-chamber in section; and Fig. 3is a transverse sectional elevation taken on line 3 y of Fig. 2.

A represents the inclosure or box for the operative mechanism. Said boxis provided with a front plate B and intermediate plate 0, held on studsor posts a b c or by other suitable means attached to the box A, and

said box is provided with a plate D, by which it may be secured to themeter, so that the rod or pawl E may properly reach into the meter to bereciprocated thereby.

F represents a ratchet-wheel adapted to be rotated tooth by tooth by theaction of the pawl E. This ratchet-wheel is secured to a shaft d, whichreaches through the plate 0, where it is provided with a pointer e,which, in connection with a scale on the plate O, indicates the gaspurchased and unconsumed. On the said wheel F or on its shaft 62 isfixed a lifting device or cam f, which serves to lift the lever G andthe toothed engaging rod H, which is pivoted at one end to the saidlever G and connected at its opposite end to a spring H. Except duringthe downward movement of the engaging rod H and lever G, the saidengaging rod is by preference held out ofcontact with the escapementdisk or wheel J by a cam or other rotating device g, which turns withthe wheel F or shaft d. The said escapement disk or wheel J is attachedto shaft h, which reaches to the front of the plate C, where it isprovided with a pointer h, which, in connection with a dial on saidplate, indicates the number of coins deposited in the machine at any onetime. Said shaft h or the wheel J is acted upon by a coiled spring 11,which tends to turn the escapement-wheel in the direction of the arrow.Said escapement disk or wheel J is form-ed or provided with a flange k,which serves to operate the lever Z, which reciprocates the valve-rod Z,which operates a valve in the gas-pipe, as described in my said 00-pending application.

L represents a double pawl or pallet to act in conjunction with theescapement-disk J. One member m of said pallet is normallyheld inengagement with the escapement-disk by a spring m The opposite member-mreaches to a point adjacent to the coin-depositing device, which isconstructed in such manner that with each coin deposited the pallet willbe oscillated, permitting the escapement-disk to turn one notch in thedirection of the arrow. If the machine be constructed to receive onlyone coin at a time, the escapement need have but two teeth on a side,and the flange 70 need be nothing more than a short 9:) shoulder or.stud; but in case the machine be constructed to receive several coins,which is the preferred construction, the escapementdisk will be toothedthroughout its entire circumference and the flange is will be concentrioand extend nearly the entire circle, as shown.

The coin-depositing device may be of any approved construction whichwill obviate fraudulent use of the machine and at the same time willoperate to oscillate the pallet L once for each coin deposited. I do notdesire to limit myself to any definite construction in this respect. Ashere shown, the coin-depositing device consists of a rotating barrel N,formed with a slot 11 of a size to partially inclose a coin n proper tothe machine, the margin of the coin which projects from the slot servingas the barrel is revolved to reciprocate the pallet, as will beunderstood from Fig. 2. The coin enters the barrel N from a narrowchamber N, into which it is inserted through coinciding slots 0 0 in theplates 13 O the same as in my said copending applica tion, and thebarrel is revolved by the crank or knob 0, its crank 0, spring 0, andcrank O the same as in my said copending application, and the same neednot be here again described.

It will be noticed that the member m of the pallet'L stands in front ofthe lower end of the engaging rod H, so that the oscillation of thepallet will also reciprocate the said rod, and it will also be noticedthat the spring H is arranged in rear of the pivot of said engaging rod,so that the tendency of the spring is to engage the tooth of theengaging rod with the teeth of the escapement-disk. I

In operation a coin being inserted in the barrel N and the latterrevolved the coin will operate the pallet L and permit spring i to turnthe ratchet-disk J in the direction of the arrow the space of one tooth.This will be repeated teeth by tooth, one for each coin inserted, andwith the first operation the shoulder 2" of the flange will turn thelever Z and cause it to lift the rod l, thereby permitting the gas toflow through the meter. The operation of the meter will now slowly turnthe wheel F in the direction of arrow to and cause cam g to swing therod H out of engagement with the escapement-disk J and also cause cam fto lift the lever G and rod H against the tension of the spring H. One

complete revolution of the wheel marks the delivery of one coins valueof gas, and with each revolution of said wheel the cam g permits the rodH to engage with the escape ment-disk, and at the same time the toe f ofthe cam Q will pass the end of the lever G, whereupon the spring H willdraw down the rod H and cause it to turn the escapementdisk one tooth.has thus been turned back as many teeth as it was turned forward by thenumber of coins inserted, the shoulder t" of flange 7e will disengagethe lever Z and permit the rod Z to drop back to its original positionand cut off the flow of gas.

While I have shown springs t and H for operating the escapement-disk inboth directions, it is obvious that weights and cords might besubstituted therefor, if desired,without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, an escapement-disk, apallet arranged to release the same on the insertion of a coin in themachine and a reciprocating engaging rod operated by the power of themeter for turning back said escapement-disk, substantially as described.

2. In a coin controlled gas -vending machine, a wheel operated by thepower of the meter and an escapement-disk operated by the insertion ofcoins in the machine, a lever and engaging rod in combination with adevice for lifting. said engaging rod and a spring for returning thesame for turning back the escapem'ent-disk, substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, the combination with anescapementdisk J, and pallet L, arranged to be operated on the insertionof a coin in the machine, of the wheel F, lifting device f, spring H,and engaging rod H arranged to be reciprocated laterally by the actionof the pallet, substantially as described. 7

'WESLEY XVEBBER.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. Wnsr, EMILE RIESER.

When the escapement-disk-

